My view is to have a single disability topic, not a disability area with a dozen sub topics. 90% of the topics on here are dead because there are so many of them; it dilutes the board terribly
Agree 100%. There is also the added hassle of having to check 3 or 4 or 5 different topics on a regular basis rather than just checking one topic and scrolling down through the posts.
One topic covering mumsnetters with disabilities.
I would also leave the current SN topic. It seems a very helpful place for the parents of ND children and don't fix what ain't broken!
This too. Re the earlier discussion I have ADHD and see it as a disability and not a special need, so would never have thought to post there.
There is also this stance on ND by arguably one of the biggest ADHD communities: We consider the neurodiversity paradigm to be harmful to people with ADHD, both directly in terms of its stated goals and indirectly via constant attempts to silence us for disagreeing with them.
And while I respect everyones right to completely disagree with that stance, I am more on the side of agreement.
A previous poster hinted at this earlier but it's why I get a bit... edgy when I see posts hinting that we could just bundle everyone into a "Neurodiverse Topic".
Like I have absolutely no idea why anyone would want me to celebrate the fact nobody can read my dyslexic DD10's writing as a "difference" and not see it for the deficit that it is? An impairment which has a substantial and long term negative effect on her ability to normal daily activities. Literally the definition of a disability.
She also has adhd and cannot dress herself without supervision amongst many other things, all of them impairments to her daily life.
But I feel like this movement can ultimately lead to what a pp brought up earlier, that wether it actually exists or not, it can feel like:
I think there’s some deep rooted othering of invisible disabilities on this thread. You can’t be disabled without having additional needs (special needs). A lot of this reads as though people are ashamed to share the “disabled” descriptor with people with neurological disabilities
And we end up in situations where disabled posters look at a board and see ASD and ADHD and think "nope, not for me".
When actually, if you click on my thread, you'll see I'm just having a vent because:
-This is the second night in a row I haven't slept a wink (though I slept 22 hours on Sunday)
-I haven't cooked since Saturday. Friday?
Amongst 100 other things I could post about that I won't bore you with right now.
Is the most important thing wether it's pills or pain causing the sleep? Physical or mental inability to prepare yourself a meal?
Or is the most important thing finding support from someone who understands what it feels like to constantly not sleep for two nights, or cook for four days? To reassure you about PIP and be someone who understands?
That's the main reason I would prefer one topic, personally.